Meta is set to advance its AI technology in virtual reality (VR) ahead of Apple. While Apple Vision Pro is expected to integrate Apple Intelligence later this year, Meta is rolling out its AI features for the Quest headsets as soon as next month. This strategic move positions Meta ahead in the VR space by integrating AI capabilities more rapidly than its competitors.
The AI, known as Meta AI with Vision, will first be available on the Quest 3 and Quest Pro devices. This feature will leverage the full-color passthrough cameras on these headsets, enabling users to interact with the AI based on their visual surroundings.
Although the AI’s initial rollout will be limited to these models, Meta has hinted that future updates might extend similar capabilities to the Quest 2, which has less advanced sensors.
Meta AI with Vision offers a range of functionalities. Users can interact with the AI to identify objects, like completing an outfit or recognizing a dog in motion. Beyond visual-based inquiries, the AI can handle general questions, such as suggesting local restaurants or retrieving famous quotes from literature. It also integrates with Bing for real-time internet searches, enhancing its ability to provide up-to-date information.
The technology behind Meta AI is multimodal, meaning it processes inputs from various sources and translates between them. However, the initial release of these AI features will be restricted to Canada and the United States and will support only English. The company has announced that its next multimodal AI model will not be available in the European Union, limiting its broader deployment.
Initially, Meta AI will be accessible in an experimental mode. To activate it, users will need to navigate to the settings menu on their Quest headsets and enable it under the “Experimental” submenu. This trial phase will allow users to experience and provide feedback on the new AI features before they become fully integrated and potentially replace the existing voice command system on the Quest.
